Luke Nedville
Flora had just finished her conversation with me and was on her way to the second floor of the Imperial Palace.
Her destination was the room where Cecilia was staying.
Flora confirmed that the hallway was empty and opened the door without knocking.
“Flora?”
“Huh? What brings you here at this time?”
Cecilia and Mulia, seated around the tea table, both turned their gazes toward Flora at the same time.
‘Perfect. Two of them together means I’ll have less work to do.’
Flora had planned to suggest a get-together to Cecilia first, get permission, and then inform Mulia right away.
But if they were both in the same space, it meant even more work for her.
“The most noble and respected person in the Eckhart Empire…”
“Stop. We can skip the titles when it’s just us.”
Cecilia immediately raised her hand to stop her.
Flora lifted her head again, her eyebrows arching as she smiled.
“So what brings you here at this hour?”
“I have a favor to ask of Your Majesty.”
“Ask it after you finish what you’re doing right now.”
After saying that, Cecilia turned her head away again.
“Oh? What are you doing with Mulia?”
“Chess.”
Mulia answered her question.
Flora approached the tea table. The board looked evenly matched.
On closer inspection, Mulia had a slight edge.
“Flora, do you think I have a chance against you?”
“Hmm……”
After a moment of thought, Flora replied with a bright voice.
“I’m not sure.”
“I see.”
A maid was present in the room, so Flora asked her to bring a stool.
She sat on the stool and watched the two of them play chess with great interest.
The result ended in Mulia’s victory.
“Even now I’m still not good enough to beat you.”
“No, it’s just a bit of luck on my side.”
Even after being praised, Mulia remained humble.
She was simply that kind of person. Even if it was a ten-year friend.
‘She really is kind and pure, seeing it like this.’
Flora thought this while looking at Mulia. That was why she felt even more sorry for her.
The way she was so overly cautious with Luke.
‘If only we could all get along so well.’
“That’s enough for today.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
At that, the maid quietly cleared the chessboard and pieces.
“Well then, Flora. What favor?”
“Do you have any separate schedule this weekend? If not, I was thinking we could have a get-together with the colleagues we work with!”
“A get-together?”
It was Mulia who asked back.
“Yeah. It’s been over a month since Luke was selected as Chief Personal Secretary. But we’ve only worked together. We haven’t really talked properly. I’m worried he might feel left out all by himself.”
Flora recalled the conversation she had with Luke earlier and explained it to the two of them.
From her perspective, Luke was a capable person at work. But he didn’t seem to want to get closer to the colleagues working in the same office.
In that case, he would probably feel left out while working.
Flora felt confident about her thought based on the conversation today.
Luke himself didn’t think even a speck of that.
“Hmm……”
Cecilia gently touched her chin and fell into thought.
Mulia, on the other hand, frowned slightly, looking a bit troubled.
“I’ve been wanting my secretary to get closer to you all anyway. But I just haven’t had time because the workload has been heavy.”
“Right? You feel the need for a get-together too, don’t you?”
Cecilia nodded once.
“Saturday sounds good?”
“Yes! We can schedule it for Saturday morning.”
“The place is the pergola in the garden?”
“Of course. There’s no better spot than that.”
“Then it’s decided.”
At Cecilia’s words, Flora clapped her hands in delight.
It had been a long time since she had clicked with her, and she was happy. And she had even gotten the result she wanted.
Cecilia had been secretly worrying about Luke-san too.
Flora thought she had discovered an unexpected side of her. Up until now, the Cecilia she knew had drawn strict lines except with her long-time friends.
“I should notify them before tomorrow’s work starts.”
“Yes, Your Majesty!”
Unlike the two of them, Mulia tasted a bitter feeling.
‘Why is she trying to get close to that man?’
Mulia especially had trouble understanding Flora.
It was just that the man happened to be working with them.
Since his work ability was decent, the best thing was to leave him be without touching him unnecessarily. That was Mulia’s judgment.
But if the Empress of the Empire, Cecilia, suggested holding a get-together, who could refuse?
Mulia herself was no exception, just like Luke.
‘I’ll be watching carefully how that man acts, Nedville Secretary.’
If that man tried to do anything suspicious even a little, Mulia had firmly vowed to stop him no matter what.
——
The next day.
Before starting morning work, Cecilia made an announcement to us.
“On Saturday this week, we will hold a get-together at 10 a.m. as proposed by Flora. So please clear your schedule that day.”
As soon as her words ended, the maids and I answered simultaneously that we would do so.
Honestly, I was a bit surprised.
Flora’s drive, but that Cecilia would accept the suggestion.
Mulia was……
“……”
I immediately noticed her gaze and turned her head slightly.
She seemed to not want to even look me in the eye.
At this point, she looked like a porcupine puffing up its quills to intimidate the opponent.
I really had no intention of doing anything to the maid or Mulia here.
I just wanted the year to pass quickly.
“Then we should head to the conference hall. Luke.”
“Yes, Your Majesty. I’ll prepare right away.”
The morning would have a meeting in the conference hall.
I followed the Empress while carrying the documents organizing the various agendas for the meeting.
As always, the aristocratic faction elders raised objections to every agenda presented by the Empress, and as a result, we had no choice but to wrap up the meeting without reaching most conclusions.
“Hah. Only things I don’t like……”
“You’ve been working hard, Your Majesty.”
“Thank you. But this is something I have to deal with too.”
It was so composed like this that it confused me again.
Whether she would really turn into a tyrant.
‘No. The probability of changing from the original story is extremely low.’
The day’s work was over.
“Another exhausting day today.”
The moment I returned to the room, I collapsed face-up on the bed.
Staring at the ceiling with hazy eyes for a while.
‘To resign and leave the empire, I need to start planning soon……’
But the problem was that I was suffering from the relentless workload almost every day, which was maddening.
Those damn documents kept coming in like waves.
“No. Pull yourself together.”
Shaking my head,
“Hah!”
I suddenly sat up straight with a loud exhalation.
The saving grace was that I had become somewhat accustomed to imperial work, so I still had some stamina left.
I got up from the bed and sat at the desk, deciding to organize my thoughts.
“Hmm.”
First, the most important thing was the funds needed to leave the fief.
It would also be necessary to persuade the family, but since I couldn’t leave the palace right now, it was difficult to do immediately.
‘Thinking about it, my father isn’t the kind of person who would abandon his subjects and leave……’
Ah, that’s something to consider later.
Right now, it was better to gather enough money to settle in another empire.
I rested my head on my interlocked hands and leaned my body as far back on the chair as possible.
‘Where should I save the salary?’
If I put the money in a bank approved by the Eckhart Empire, all deposit and withdrawal records would remain as evidence.
If I withdrew a large amount at once, someone would definitely suspect me.
It would be best to leave as few traces as possible……
It had been a while since I reviewed the content of the original story.
Why the protagonist of the original story, Russell, came to the Eckhart Empire.
There were two reasons. One of them was to find the sponsorship money from a noble who was supporting him, supposedly deposited in the secret bank.
“There was a secret bank, huh.”
Since I knew a little about the original story’s information, the problem was quickly solved.
But the problem was that the original story didn’t describe the location of the secret bank in detail. The only information given was the guild district in the eastern outskirts.
I had no choice but to find that out for myself.
“That’s right. Thinking back, there was something Milo gave me before.”
I quickly opened the desk drawer. Inside, neatly arranged maps of the entire capital city of Deleson were placed.
In the original story, the secret bank’s location was in the eastern outskirts of the capital.
I unfolded the map on the desk. At the center of the map was the Imperial Palace, the heart of the empire.
I fixed my gaze and slowly looked toward the eastern outskirts based on the palace. A marked point outside the city gates came into view, labeled as an outer district.
I checked the location.
But the problem was that I didn’t know which building it was at all.
‘Should I question each passing person?’
Just as I was lost in thought, a knock sounded.
Who is it at this time?
“Luke-san. Are you there?”
What? Why did Flora come to my room?
“Yes. Just a moment!”
I quickly folded the map and put it in the drawer, then opened the door.
Flora just gave a greeting and stepped into my room.
“Oh, I see what your room looks like.”
“You didn’t come to look around my room, did you?”
“Of course! It’s a bit of both.”
Flora answered with a bright smile.
A woman full of energy despite suffering the same overwhelming workload as me.
“We have a get-together in two days. I came because I wondered if you had casual clothes instead of formal wear.”
“Do I have to wear formal wear?”
Flora widened her eyes at my puzzled question.
“Oh my. I was just asking because I was wondering. Casual clothes are……”
“Of course not. I just came as I am.”
And I hadn’t gone out even once since coming here.
“That’s troublesome.”
A regrettable tone was in Flora’s voice.
“Is there a rule that you have to wear casual clothes at the get-together?”
“No, but…… On that day, everyone will probably come in casual clothes. I was worried you might not feel comfortable if you wear work attire.”
“No need. I’m not particularly picky.”
No way. Did she really come to ask this?
But if it were Flora, she might really do that……
“Then, do you have time on Sunday? Let’s go out together with Mulia and Luke-san and buy some casual clothes for you.”
A sudden offer like that?
A bit flustered, I finally understood Flora’s true intention.
Mulia would probably not be friendly toward me at the get-together either. I had no particular intention either.
Flora probably wanted me and Mulia to get closer a little more.
But…… right now, I had to deal with something even more important.
“I appreciate the offer, but it seems difficult. I have personal business to take care of.”
“Ah…… Then I guess there’s nothing we can do. Let me know anytime when you feel like it next time.”
Flora didn’t lose her smile to the end.
After greeting me, she returned to her room. Soon after, silence filled the room.
‘I need to get permission to go out to see the Empress tomorrow.’
I didn’t have money yet, but I wanted to check the location in advance and at least meet the staff there.